For mums and dads

Being a parent means being a lot of things. You’re a role model, a carer, a friend, sometimes an enemy, a confidante, a mentor. Being the parent of a teenager throws up many challenges. But it also involves rewards – often when you know you’ve succeeded in helping your child get through a difficult patch and blossom.

Going through puberty is a tricky thing – perhaps you remember it being a confusing time for you. Even though we may think there’s so much information out there now, that doesn’t stop the personal experience proving any less anxiety provoking. You can help your daughter by reading up on the things she’s going through, being sure you have the facts straight. In this section, we provide basic information that you can use to help your daughter understand what’s going on in her body, and feel confident she can deal with it. Simply knowing she can come to you with any queries without any embarrassment is a big help, so if she hasn’t broached the subject with you yet then why not find a quiet time to have the conversation with her.